Claustorphobia
by Desire
Summary: Rory and Tristan are paired to work on a "famous couples" project, once again portraying Romeo and Juliet. They get locked in a closet, and realize how true the story is for them,
1. Default Chapter

Claustrophobia 

Rory hadn't been all that excited about her partner in the "Famous couples in History" report/production project. Of course, as the dreaded Chilton seemed set on locking them together, Tristan was with her. Paris was with a sweet, but ugly boy named Ryan, set to play Marie Antoinette. Madeline was to be Marilyn Monroe, and Louise to be Cher. Rory and Tristan were the wonderful couple of Romeo and Juliet. Mr. Medina had said since they had done such a wonderful job in the play (AN: The Play in Run Away Little Boy went on as planned) they should try it here. They had to research the couple, thoroughly, then preform a scene from their romance. 

Tristan was very excited to once again be Rory's Romeo. He knew that Dean wasn't very pleased about it, had been even more jealous of him since the passionate kiss at the end of Romeo and Juliet. Tristan was a good actor. Especially when the feelings he was trying to portray were true. 

They met after school, like many other groups, to work on their project.

"Okay, seeing as were familiar with the love story we should go ahead and pick a scene to do."

"My votes for the love scene."

"Thats out, and so is any kissing scene."

"Were supposed to portray the passion of a couple by hugging and holding hands? Rory I do think you're letting feelings get in the way of a good grade. It's so unlike you!"

She ignored his comment, "There are boxes of Shakespeare interpretation in the Literature closet."

They crossed the hall to one completely uninhabited and started grabbing the books. Neither noticed that the door had shut behind them. Once they had them all Rory spoke, "Okay lets go!" Tristan tried the door. It didn't open. "It's locked!" he said. Rory thought he way lying, "No way." she tried it again. No opening. She started yelling, "Hello? Hello? Were locked in! Somebody help up??" Nobody came. After a few minutes Tristan, who had already made a seat on the floor stopped her. "Rory, nobody's out there. They'll figure we already left." She continued trying to yell for a few more minutes and finally sat down also.

  
"I cannot believe this!" she said.

"You're worst nightmare come true. Stuck in a closet with Tristan DuGrey" said Tristan.

"Wow, that was bitter." said Rory.

For a second he had unmasked the real Tristan, but he caught himself. "You probably planned this. Trying to seduce me Mary?" he asked, moving closer, "It's working."

"Will you just stop, please?" she asked

"Whats the matter, Mary?" 

"Why don't we work on our project?"

"Practicing the kissing? Or maybe the love scene? I'm still up for the love scene."

"We obviously can't have any decent conversation so we might as well go ahead and work on the project."

"Whatever."

Rory looked at a book, "Oh, this is interpretations of every scene! Hmm.. what about the balcony scene "A famous portrayal of true love, of ones desire to see their true love.." 

Tristan scowled, "Overdone. What about the death scene?"

"We've already done it, and there's a kiss. "

"Okay, whatever, lets just read through the scene descriptions, heres "The Party Scene. 

One has just been dumped, and is nursing a heartbreak when he falls again in love. This time his object of affection is chaste, beautiful, and young. One is a stranger to the party, a odd take of events landing them there, and another familiar with the scene, fitting in. After few words, a fragile first kiss is exchanged.."

Tristan interrupted her, "and she runs out crying?"

Rory looked down, "Tristan."

Tristan looked into her eyes, "Come on Rory, this is obviously the scene for us. It's exactly like us!"

Rory stopped, "Tristan we are not Romeo and Juliet. Yes, sure the scene is similar to Madeline's party, but Romeo and Juliet were in love and were separate and..."

"I've told you before that i'm madly in love with you."

"I have a boyfriend."

"I know."

"Okay, so I guess we'll do this scene."

"It's not the same without the kiss."

"Kiss included. Just don't pull the full out passion on me like you did at the play."

"It's a passionate kiss."

"Okay."

"The only problem is how to keep you from crying."

"I didn't cry at the play."

"So it's only when its on you're own free will that kissing me brings tears?"

"You had just been broken up with, you were hurt, and I was the first person who comforted you. I had just been dumped, by somebody because they loved me, and "

"Rory, shut up," he said before wrapping her in another kiss. She kissed back, but only for a second before she pulled herself away.

"Dean!"

He stopped her with a whisper, "will never know."

They started to kiss passionately and didn't notice the door opening, or the people watching them. Lorelei, Dean, and Mr. Medina all were standing there.

Dean's voice broke the couple, "What the Hell?"

Rory recognized it and looked into Tristan's eyes, begging him to help her somehow. 

Rory spoke first, "were uh, were Romeo and Juliet in Mr. Medina's class, and we picked our scene and we, we decided and we uh practiced, and that was practicing, it almost looked real, but were just good actors."

Dean put his arm around Rory's waist and said, "lets talk."

Somehow Tristan got that angry feeling, that one that always made him want to punch bag boy in the nose. He followed. Dean turned around, "Go away Tristan. Rory hates you." 

Tristan felt the sting. Rory saw the war between the safe and sturdy boyfriend she had, and the passionate and angry man she had just kissed. Romeo. "I need to go home," she said.

Tristan said, "I'll give you a ride."

Dean finished, "Her mother will. I'm her boyfriend Tristan."

Tristan looked Rory in the eyes, "I forgot. See you tomorrow, Mary." 


	2. What Tomorrow Brings

She approached him while he was with his friends. "Tristan, can I talk to you, please?" Like he would say no. He wanted to. He didn't want to hear what he knew was coming. They walked a bit away from his friends, to an area that wasn't as crowded as the other areas. 

"Tristan, Look."

He already looked hurt. "You're sorry about yesterday, but you're so in love with the bag boy. It meant nothing to you and you're sorry you let it happen."

It was her turn to look hurt. "That's not what I was going to say."

"It was going to be less sarcastic?"

"Tristan, shut up." This time she started the kiss. Tristan was amazed. If this was a goodbye kiss, it was almost worth it.

"I'm going to break up with Dean."

He kissed her again. 

She continued, "Not till Friday though."

He stopped, "Why wait that long, I want to be you're boyfriend."

She smirked, "What would make you think I would go out with you?" then she answered his question, "He went on a fishing trip, and will be back on Friday. As soon as I see him, he hears the news." He hugged her, and said, and we can be together. She nodded. He smiled, not his normal sarcastic smile but a realistic, smile portraying true happiness. They started off to Mr. Medina's class, his arm around her waist, proclaiming to stunned classmates that Tristan and Rory were a couple. "Practicing for the scene a bit early," aren't we Mr. DuGrey, said Mr. Medina. Tristan smirked. Mr. Medina started class and instructed them to get with their partners to work. They had to be ready by Friday, he reminded them. 

Rory took out her notes, bringing back last night to both of their minds. Okay she said, should we make a new script, or use the original? The chose the original script, and started reading the lines. "It's perfect," proclaimed Rory. They set to work on their reports, the magic of their first kiss remembered in writing about their character's. 

After class they went to their lockers, and a kiss was exchanged, this time watched by the eyes of many of the students, including Paris. "You kiss by the book," said Rory, practicing her lines. Tristan hugged her, and walked her to a class they did not have together, one who she had with Paris. The gossip had obviously gotten around and people were surrounding her.

"Are you and Tristan, together?"

"I heard about you and Tristan!"

"So you finally gave in"

"Are you doing it yet?"

Rory simply smiled and looked ahead, ignoring the questions until she could break it off with Dean. She hated thinking of him. She didn't want to remember the good times, and certainly didn't want to hurt him. It wasn't his fault she had fallen for Tristan, but she had. She knew that she was different to other girls. She had to be didn't she? He didn't treat her like he had Summer or any other girl. He didn't showcase her as his trophy, rather like a girlfriend who he was in love with and not afraid to show it. That was all. Thinking of Tristan made her smile, glad she had finally given in.

Tristan and Rory had a great day, it was definitely one of the best Rory could remember at Chilton. They walked through the halls holding hands, passed notes and flirted during class, and kissed between classes. They ignored the snide remarks random people made. They even visited "their" closet once during lunch, to make out. Tristan was amazed at how fast Rory had changed and then she said it, "Tristan, I like you so much, and I want to be you're girlfriend, but we have to take it kind of slow." 

To her surprise Tristan agreed, "I was thinking the same thing. I want this to last Rory. I don't want you to think you're not special to me. You are. You are so special and I never want you to doubt it." The kissed once more, and went on. 

They were exiting the school, and Tristan was giving Rory a piggyback ride. To their surprise, Dean was sitting in his truck outside of the school. He was mad and went quickly over to them. "Rory, I thought the closet thing was nothing. What is this?" He moved to hit Tristan but Tristan moved. Rory said "Come here Dean, lets talk." They walked into the Chilton lawn and Rory said, "I was going to tell you when you got back. It's not you're fault Dean, but well… I've fallen for Tristan, hard. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, we have to break up." 

  
Dean walked away and said one last thing to her, "He's going to break you're heart Rory. He's done it before and he'll never change. He will never actually be in love. I won't be there to save you when your own stupidity brought you into it."

The words brought Rory to silent tears. Tristan walked over to her, hugged her and said, "What did he say Rory? What did he do that made you cry?"

She wiped them away, "Nothing. It's just hard to end it. That's all."

They walked away, and seeing as Rory had missed her bus and Dean was obviously not a choice for a ride, Tristan drove her home. She tried to save the day, and the ride into her memory, because this was her new life, her new world. She was no longer part of RoryandDean. It felt good. 


End file.
